The military tension between Iran and the US has turned into a conflict engulfing the Gulf region. As Iran declared it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, attacks targeting the US and its allies extended to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Jordan and Oman.
Qatar announced that three people, including a child, were injured by falling shrapnel from Iran-linked attacks and held Iran responsible. The UAE reported detecting missile threats outside its borders. Bahrain announced it had intercepted Iranian airstrikes, while Jordan said it was hit by a missile and Oman stated it had been subjected to drone attacks.
Conflicting Statements on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran announced it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after firing warning shots at a ship navigating an unauthorized route on Saturday night. On Sunday, it claimed to have disabled a second vessel. The newly established Iranian Gulf Strait Authority stated that passage is currently impossible due to illegal US actions.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), however, stated that its forces maintained freedom of navigation despite Iran's claims, saying, "Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing." The Joint Maritime Information Center, led by the US Navy, also reiterated that an "expanded" southern route near Oman is open to two-way traffic.
US Counterattacks and Iran's Claims
US Central Command announced that it struck 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday, destroying more than 300 targets over three nights this week. The aim of the strikes was to reduce Iran's ability to transit civilian mariners.
Iranian state media announced that explosions occurred in port cities and that an Iranian officer was killed in "US-Israeli" attacks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have destroyed a command center and drone hangars in Jordan, targeted a US radar site in Kuwait, attacked US aircraft carrier support platforms in Oman, and destroyed a jet maintenance center and command facility in Qatar.
Tensions Escalate
Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, "The era of unilateral agreements is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price."
These developments have cast uncertainty over the future of the temporary US-Iran agreement signed last month aimed at reopening the strait. Iran's attempt to blockade the Strait of Hormuz is having a global impact by raising energy prices on this waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas shipments pass.
